Mutagenicity studies with palm fruit carotene.

The mutagenicity of palm fruit carotene was examined using the reverse mutation test with bacteria, the chromosomal aberration test with mammalian cells and the micronucleus test in mice. The carotene induced neither reverse mutation in Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA1537, TA100, TA1535 and in Escherichia coli WP2uvrA, nor structural and numerical (polyploidy) chromosomal aberrations in the Chinese hamster fibroblast cell line (CHL). In addition, no increase in micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes was elicited in the micronucleus test in CD-1(ICR) male mice. It is concluded that palm fruit carotene had no mutagenic activity in these in vitro and in vivo tests.